Beschreibung:

WASHINGTON, GEORGE, President . Autograph free frank ("President U.S."), as President, on folded cover sheet (letter not present) addressed in Washington's hand to "David Stuart Esq Alexandria Virginia," 23 November [1791], brown "23NO" Franklin Mark and "Free" handstamp, partial fold separation along top edge of flap, seal tear. Washington's Presidential franks are without signature. The Stampless Cover Catalogue , p.211, col.2, points out that "whether he did this from the time he took office [30 April 1789] or only after the act of Congress of 20 February 1792, granting the President the franking privilege, has not been established." This frank, therefore, dated some three months before the franking privilege was formally granted, is strongly indicative that Washington's practice did , in fact, predate the act of Congress. A nearly identical frank, dated from 21 January 1791 (illustrated in Stern, History of the 'Free Franking' of Mail in the United States , p.14) would seem to bear this out. The present cover sheet is from a letter to Stuart regarding the choice of materials to be used in the roofs of buildings in Washington D.C., the new Federal capital then under construction. In his letter, Washington urged the use of slate or tile "or anything else that would be proof against fire." For the text see, Writings , ed. J. C. Fitzpatrick, 31:427 (a photocopy included with the lot). Provenance : Judge E.A. Armstrong of Princeton, N.J., who supplied a photostat of the letter to the editors of the Washington Papers in 1937.